American restaurant chain Hooters has been given the green light to open a third restaurant in the UK, despite backlash calling the restaurant “degrading”.
The chain, which already has a restaurant in Nottingham that has been open for 21 years, will open its third outpost at Salford Quays in Greater Manchester.
The decision taken by Manchester council’s licensing panel has so far faced opposition from locals, including Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
A new Hooters has also been opposed by the Women’s Equality Party, MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, and Barbara Keeley, MP for Worsely and Eccles South. The chain saw 91 objections to the application in total.
In response to the approval, Keeley tweeted: “ The application for a Hooters restaurant in Salford has been approved. I am deeply disappointed by this decision. This negates the good work being done in Greater Manchester on ending misogyny. There should be no place for this archaic and sexist treatment of women employees.”
The Women’s Equality Party tweeted: “We are very disappointed that Salford Council has granted a licence to Hooters. #IsThisOk? [sic] No. It is against the tide of attitudinal and behavioural change people are working to bring about in Salford and Greater Manchester.”
The new restaurant will be open from 9am to 11.30pm, seven days per week. Children will not be allowed on the premises at any time.
Hooters is famed for its waitstaff’s uniforms, which sees women wear short shorts and tight singlet tops.
The news follows plans announced in February to open a second Hooters in Liverpool.
This plan was also faced with backlash, and saw a petition set up to block the restaurant opening that described the chain as “an archaic and chauvinistic brand and this type of venue is no longer reflective of today’s society”.
During a recent panel, Rachael Moss who will manage the Liverpool outlet, dismissed claims that the brand is “objectifying and exploiting women”.
“I am a mother with three children, two of which are small girls, and a qualified barrister,” Moss explained.
“The Hooters brand is empowering and celebrating beautiful, strong women. We thrive on making people happy and I am happy to take my children there. I am proud to be part of this venture.”
Hooters faced backlash last October after female staff members in its US branches criticised the new uniform and compared them to “underwear”.
The female employees shared videos to TikTok showing the updated uniform, which comprised of shorter shorts. One woman wrote in a viral video: “Love my job but don’t love wearing undies to work.”
